Former Charlotte mayor Jennifer Roberts is correct: the media does keep saying that that image of President Biden clutching his notebook while Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked a question during his Afghanistan press conference is “the defining image” of the day, if not the Biden presidency. The day it happened, we couldn’t find anybody who took it as a positive; it was an optics disaster in the eyes of Americans and people around the world. It was an image of a defeated man out of his depth.
Roberts, though, doesn’t see the image as negative; rather, she sees empathy and humanity.
The media keeps saying this is the defining image of the Biden presidency, but a negative one. Why? It shows empathy, shared sadness in tragedy, true understanding of how loss feels to countless families affected by violence. To me it shows his humanity. pic.twitter.com/8A5eNrtMOo
— Jennifer Roberts (@JenRobertsNC) August 27, 2021
It’s a cult. https://t.co/818b3Crr8y
— RBe (@RBPundit) August 28, 2021
He can't answer a question from Fox News…so yeah, it's his "defining dementia moment" you clueless idiot. https://t.co/LGsubnBuNE
— Ames (@RestingTwitFace) August 28, 2021
It does *NOT* demonstate leadership. It demonstrates weakness.https://t.co/Sydd1v7UlI
— Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) August 28, 2021
A RIDICULOUS counter-factual take on this moment from Biden. Here is the full text of what was said just before he bowed his head:
"I bear responsibility for fundamentally all that has happened of late. But here's the deal. You know–I wish that one day you'd say these things– https://t.co/vpjTcb78qh— shipwreckedcrew.substack.com (@shipwreckedcrew) August 28, 2021
You really don't understand that he's cowering, afraid to answer a reporter's question? Damn. https://t.co/rK93fHnC0J
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) August 28, 2021
To me it shows that he couldn’t answer the question Peter Doocy asked him. https://t.co/tuiG78wkzK
— I ain’t no circle back girl (@cohkohhh) August 28, 2021
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False. It shows a president too weak to answer an honest question from the press. https://t.co/tYx3PS2PTQ
— IrishTea1 (@IrishTea1) August 28, 2021
Women see empathy because they don't want to admit he is weak
Men see the weakness https://t.co/Hrg2VqCzLH
— Rick Barrett-The Armed Catholic 🛡⛪️ 📻 (@BarrettBrief) August 28, 2021
All prompted by a Fox question & follow up https://t.co/KLveHwar6F
— Scott M. Impeachment of DJT. (@scottf6f) August 28, 2021
All I see is a guy who can't even withstand the pressure of a FAVORABLE media. How the fuck is he supposed to represent America against foreign leaders?
Anyone who writes this👇trash is a communist sympathizer, at best. https://t.co/hE7soDn0D0
— Phantom Shitlord (@PhantomShitlord) August 28, 2021
LEaDerSHIp https://t.co/O0bwNnEmoO
— Arthur Kimes (@ComradeArthur) August 28, 2021
…this was his frustrated response to being questioned. He's shutting down and throwing a tantrum like a toddler. https://t.co/Kb7hNd88HL
— Augie Bumpkin (@reverendaugie) August 28, 2021
You can’t be serious, @JenRobertsNC, he was pouting about being asked a legitimate question by a reporter who wasn’t on his script. Who in the hell do you think you’re kidding? https://t.co/i4TZN9KS2u
— Jeremy Reidy (@JLeeReidy) August 28, 2021
A President shouldn't behave like this on camera in public during a crisis. https://t.co/aJfM5Edqvt
— Adam Korzeniewski 🇺🇸 (@RealAdamK) August 28, 2021
No. It shows an elderly man frustrated at being challenged. You literally just reinterpretted this photo out of its context to prop up your guy. #Propaganda https://t.co/93x8TXMA5p
— Just Trying To Survive 🌀 (@Supply4Survival) August 28, 2021
Straight up lie. https://t.co/Wfrug3u02G
— DJSmith (@davidjacksmith) August 28, 2021
You are either a brazen liar or in need of serious mental health treatment, or both. https://t.co/uWuakqyBMD
— President-by-Fraud John Hale (@JohnAHale) August 28, 2021
To me it shows his total unfitness for office. https://t.co/bUOapbom2O
— (((Louis))) (@LCDK_UK) August 28, 2021
Biden is getting nailed by Doocy for his abdication of responsibility as president for a decision and poor planning leading to so much death and chaos, and this nutjob, Roberts, sees "sympathy and sadness, true understanding."
This is the problem with the LW: abject stupidity. https://t.co/YF9P2eq9Nm
— Charles X Proxy™ (@Charlemagne0814) August 28, 2021
It shows weakness, tired, pathetic. https://t.co/Vq80DPpdJh
— DashCarCrash (@DashCarCrash) August 28, 2021
It shows confusion and that he doesn’t know how to answer a question that wasn’t scripted.
— jak55555 (@jak55555) August 28, 2021
He’s crying because a reporter questioned him.
— John J Rambo (@JohnJRamboEsq) August 28, 2021
Fox News is mean.
— I'm To Blame (@im2blame4) August 28, 2021
It shows beaten down defeatism.
— Steve (@Steve3449) August 28, 2021
I'd cry if I had that much blood on my hands
— Louise T W Lucas (@LuTWLucas) August 28, 2021
Ok. Let's assume it's NOT shameless pandering. This then is a man breaking down at a time when he is required to be a strong leader. A man out of control when he knows he is supposed to be in charge.
Pandering is the least bad option here frankly. Everything else is worse.
— CasualMeyhem (@CasualMeyhem) August 28, 2021
It’s so funny to see all of the Biden supporters turning on “the media” for covering Biden’s massive and deadly screw-up in Afghanistan. All we see is a man who wishes he could vanish and reappear in his basement in Delaware because he’s in way over his head.
Related:
‘Optics disaster’: This is the defining image from President Biden’s press conference for the world to see https://t.co/qBUhRNrxp7
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 26, 2021